Government

Wage growth has remained at a record low for a second quarter, led by continuing fallout from the mining slowdown, but with pain across all industries and states.

Indonesia has doubled its import permits for Australian cattle in the September quarter, after last month cutting such permits by 80 per cent.

The state government has replaced Labor's Priority Start apprenticeship scheme with a new program it says will make it easier for building and construction companies to meet training targets.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has talked down Labor's chances of picking up the Western Australian seat of Canning at a by-election.

The Minerals Council of Australia has added to the national industrial relations debate today with a report it said showed that levels of union membership were unlinked to the labour force's share of national income.

The state government has continued its investigation into moving one of its departments to Fremantle, but has not committed to the shift.

Developers and industry lobbyists say there needs to be a clearer direction from government to ensure density is delivered in Perth.

International travel figures released at the same time as the Reserve Bank's quarterly monetary policy report on Friday support its suspicion that the economy's potential growth has been cut by slower population growth.

After failing to implement its council amalgamation plan, the government is targeting funding arrangements.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said today the government was still working out how it would handle an expected doubling in truck movements around Fremantle, but has ruled out one option – sinking a tunnel under the Swan River.

Premier Colin Barnett has hit out at Perth local councils for imposing big increases in annual rates.

Australia's unemployment rate unexpectedly jumped to a six-month high of 6.3 per cent in July, pushed up by a surge in the number of people looking for work.

The unemployment rate is expected to rise slightly as slowing jobs growth fails to keep up with population growth.

Western Australian automotive sales have gone against the national trend for the month of July, down nearly 13 per cent on those of July 2014, despite a national increase in sales.

The Bishop expenses scandal is a clear example of how out of touch the political class is with everyday Australians.

While it's a close call, chances are the Reserve Bank of Australia will cut rates again before year end reflecting the poor business investment outlook, greater than expected weakness in commodity prices, and the $A remaining too high.

Western Australian merchandise exports in the year to June were down more than 15 per cent on the previous financial year, according to the latest trade balance update from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

A scaling back of penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers on Sundays was among the major recommendations in the Productivity Commission's draft workplace relations framework released today.

The Reserve Bank appears unlikely to cut rates any time soon after leaving the cash rate at a record low of 2 per cent for a third straight month.

Australians splashing out on household goods have delivered a boost to retail spending in June.

Job advertisements in Western Australia are down more than 40 per cent since this time last year, according to fresh data from ANZ.

The annual rate of inflation is staying well below the Reserve Bank's two to three per cent target, weighed down by falls in utility prices.

Federal MP Don Randall has been farewelled at a funeral service in Perth.

Households are going without food and medicines and are unable to pay bills as cost of living pressures take hold, welfare advocates say.

Employment figures are due next week and may go some way to resolve the mystery of jobs growth that appears too strong to be consistent with an economy growing at less than its normal pace.

Australian companies risk falling behind their overseas rivals because investors' demands for large dividends stymies investment in innovation.

Australia won't sign up to the massive trans-Pacific partnership trade deal if it can't get a better agreement for sugar farmers and clear up issues surrounding medicines and the rights of companie

Payroll tax is costing Western Australian businesses more than $2,700 per employee on the back of strong wages growth in the state during the past decade, according to a report released today.

A renewed steep sell-off on the Chinese share market risks undermining improving levels of consumer confidence in Australia.

Major changes to Western Australia's electoral boundaries have been proposed to reflect uneven population growth in the state.

Forcing Australia's wealthiest people to pay at least a minimum rate of tax would raise an additional $2.5 billion a year, modelling shows.

Business confidence has jumped to its highest level since September last year, with sentiment improving across all sectors except for mining.